Welcome to 2011!

Orale! Guess what?! I started a blog! 2011 marks the time for deeper commitment and determination for work I/we have been doing as artivists for a loooong time! Just want to share some of 2010 accomplishments and motivate all to revisit this past year's highlights! We worked hard!

Check it out! A highlight of this year has been writing, producing and touring a one-woman show One Journey: Stitching Stories Across the Mexican "American" Border. Whether it's facilitating Theater of the Oppressed Workshops at Cuba's Hip Hop Symposium or sharing the stage with amazing artists such as Lemon Andersen in Queens, I have had great opportunities for growth as both a performer and educator.

As Josefina Lopez once told me "any woman of color writing her own story is a political act in itself" so I went for it as a borderlander from El Paso, Tx/Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua now living in New York, land of the hustle. There are few U.S./Mexico borderlander womyn that whose work is being represented, published and/or produced which must change so I have put my grano de arena, to expose more of our work from/about the border. Aqui les va...

2010:

January - Interviewed borderlanders from El Paso, Tx/Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua about their experiences growing up in this border region and weaving stories into theatrical fiction/beginning production plans for "One Journey" to be a part of a mini solo performance festival with Cornelius Jones Jr. and marcus d. harvey called Emerging Identities:Bodies on the Line.

February - Writing, work-shoping and production planning for "One Journey." Collaborating with Krystal Banzon (director), Mekeva McNeil (director), Chelsea Gregory (choreographer) and Kenji Calderón Miyamoto (media designer) to make it all possible.

March - First time performing at Nuyorican's Poet's Cafe to honor Cesar Chavez! dopeness! Rehearsing for "One Journey" and production planning.

April - Emerging Identities manifests! Sold out shows April 16-18th at TheaterLab on 14th St in New York! NYU: ISM Gala Performance excerpt of "One Journey" at NYU as well as Gallatin's Master's Thesis Showcase on April 29th.

May - Performed "One Journey" at Emerging Artists' One Woman Standing Festival at TADA Theater on May 5th. Excerpt of "One Journey" opening for the Peace Poets Barrio Libre performance at Museo del Barrio's Super Sabado.

June - Completed Master's Thesis and Defense at NYU: Gallatin School for Individualized Studies, Artivism: Performing Arts as Cultural Resistance. Completed one year of teaching theater in Brooklyn at West Brooklyn Community High School.

July - Home in El Paso, TX/Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua getting grounded.

August - Performed excerpt of "One Journey" as part of the ATHE (Association for Theater in Higher Education) Latino Focus Group in Los Angeles California's Company of Angels. Traveled to Cuba, for the first time to co-facilitate Theater of the Oppressed workshops with Melinna Bobadilla and Abraham Velazquez Jr. at the Simposio de Hip Hop Cubano 2010! blessed!

September - Performed at Portraits: Voice of a People 2010  at NYU; Crossing the Cultural Divide with Judith Sloan, Lemon Andersen, Hasan Salaam, AKIR, Readnex Poetry Squad and Mahina Movement in Queens; NYU:Gallatin's Disposable: Ciudad Juarez and the War on Women. Began teaching theater at the School of Columbia for elementary and middle school students.

October - Participated in readings for Lisa Ramirez's Poultry Play at the Working Theater and Alaska by Gibrán Portela, translated by Migdalia Cruz at US/Mexico Playwrights Exchange at the Lark Play Development Center. Assistant-Directed with Simón Hanukai at the Hip Hop Theater Festival's Can't Stop Won't Stop 10 Minute Plays, and spoke/performed for high school students at the Museum of the City of New York's Saturday Academy.

November - Performed poetry with Peace Poets at St. Peter's College in New Jersey and performed excerpt of "One Journey" and led a Theater of the Oppressed workshop for NYU's La Herencia's Our Journey of Empowerment: The Latino Conference.

December - Collaborated with the Cross Border Project as Chief of Press for De Fuente Ovejuna a Ciudad Juarez in Thalia Theater in Queens, NY; launched indiVISIBLE Initiative of Solo Women Performers in collaboration with Chelsea Gregory and Jennifer Armas to support/promote womyn solo artists touring work that explores social justice issues! check out our link for more information:

http://www.indiegogo.com/indiVISIBLE

It's been a year folks!

2011 goals to come!
In Solidarity Siempre!
Much Love!
Yadira